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Have Tax Refund, Will Travel
Here are seven ideas for easy getaways this summer.
Budget TravelThursday, Apr 2, 2009, 12:11 PMIt's not just the free historical sites in Philadelphia's Independence National Historical Park, such as Liberty Bell Center and National Constitution Center, that make the city a top choice for an affordable family vacation&hellip (Bob Sacha/Corbis)Budget Travel LLC, 2016

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Have Tax Refund, Will Travel

It's not just the free historical sites in Philadelphia's Independence National Historical Park, such as Liberty Bell Center and National Constitution Center, that make the city a top choice for an affordable family vacation&hellip
(Bob Sacha/Corbis)

…It's also Philadelphia's Franklin Institute and other kid-friendly museums, that make it such a great destination for families. Check out exhibits like a walk-through model of a human heart.
(Courtesy The Franklin Institute)

Buzz through a free tour of the United States Mint at Philadelphia, where 4.8 billion coins were minted last year. Kids receive Lincoln blanks, pieces of metal that would have otherwise become pennies.
(Charles O\'Rear/Corbis)

Puerto Vallarta, western Mexico's popular resort town, is a great place to get R&R. The pool at CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa looks out on the Sierra Madre and the curve of Banderas Bay.
(Courtesy CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa)

The beach town of Puerto Vallarta is just what the doctor ordered. The only decision is whether to unwind with a night of partying, spend the afternoon on an empty beach, or dine on empanadas de platanos, boneless pork leg, and chipotle shrimp. Take seven days and call us in the morning.
(Courtesy CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa)

A current exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver. Every Friday evening in the summer, the museum hosts performances by experimental musicians on its rooftop. Admission is $10.
(Courtesy MCA Denver)

Denver's Great Divide Brewing, producer of the much-decorated Titan IPA, has free tours that include samples. It's a key stop on the city's hopping microbrewery circuit.
(Courtesy Great Divide Brewing Company)

The year-old, glitzy Trump International Hotel Las Vegas attracts a different crowd for two reasons: It has no casino, and its studio suites appeal to romantic types, with details like marble bathrooms, high-definition TVs, and floor-to-ceiling windows.
(Courtesy Trump International Hotel Las Vegas)

The Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas is one of the many spots where you can feast on a prix fixe dinner special. At Hubert Keller's Fleur de Lys, you'll find gourmet burgers and other delicacies. (The pricey red Bordeaux wine pictured here costs extra, however.)
(Courtesy Mandalay Bay Fleur de Lys)

Check out the spectacular views of the Pacific from an overlook at Point Reyes National Seashore, easily reached on foot or by car or bicycle from the cute northern California town of Olema. Full-day bike rentals start at $45.
(Gerald Brimacombe/Getty)

Between San Francisco and Olema on Highway 1 lies Muir Woods National Monument ($5), where you can gawk at the towering redwoods, some of which are more than 1,000 years old.
(Comstock Select/Corbis)

Nashville is great for a long summer getaway because you don't have to be 19 to enjoy the local music scene. So many acts perform downtown that you're sure to find appealing songs. But try listening to something unfamiliar, too, like Brazilbilly, a band that plays Latin-infused country music.
(David Arky/Corbis)

Nashville's Parthenon is one of the city's strangest and most surreal must-sees. The full-scale replica of the Athens temple was built for the state's 1897 Centennial Exposition. Now it houses the city's art collection ($6).
(Courtesy Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau)

Every Saturday between June 13 and August 15, a fireworks display will light up the nighttime sky during a festival called Montreal's L'International des Feux Loto-Québec. Watch from the Jacques Cartier Bridge, which closes to traffic during the events.
(Courtesy Bob Burch/La Ronde)